Save the Rails, pleads minister

Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmed Bilour admitted during the National Assembly session here on Friday that Pakistan Railways was sinking fast, saying 153 trains had been suspended because of shortage of diesel and the Railways Ministry did not have sufficient funds to pay salaries and pensions to its employees.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MNA Sajid Ahmed pounced on the opportunity and on a point of order sought to hit the Awami National Party (ANP) minister hard, demanding his resignation and saying if he could not resolve the mess in Railways, some other talented person should be provided an opportunity to revive the dying department.
“Let me set the record straight that no bailout package has been paid to the Railways. Around 69 locomotives were purchased some 20 years back under the martial law, out of which 50 are now out of order. A business plan of Rs 11.1 billion for the revival of Pakistan Railways was submitted to the cabinet last December and until now the funds have not been received, and the problem will persist until they are,” said Bilour.
The ANP minister made the statement in response to a calling-attention notice tabled by Shireen Arshad Khan and others regarding the reported discontinuation of 155 passenger trains, causing grave concern to the public. He said Pakistan Railways was currently facing acute shortage of locomotives resulting in the suspension of passenger trains on major routes and suspension of all operations on small stations. He said Pakistan Railways was neglected by past governments and when he was supervising the Railways Ministry in 1992, its total deficit was Rs 1.48 billion but now the situation had worsened to a great extent.
He said he had time and again sought assistance but to no avail. Meanwhile, journalists boycotted the National Assembly proceedings in protest against torture and victimisation of journalists associated with Sindhi newspaper, Kawish. Interior Minister Rehman Malik, flanked by Textiles Minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin, assured the journalists that he would seek reports from the Sindh chief minister and Sindh Police inspector general about violence against the journalists and immediate action would be taken against the culprits, after which the boycott was called off.
Malik later repeated the pledge on the floor of the House. Akhundzada Chattan of the Pakistan People’s Party demanded the government take action against those political agents who were creating hurdles in the implementation of the extension of Political Parties Act to the tribal areas. He said the women of the tribal areas were not being given their rights. He also demanded the tribal elders be taken on board regarding the prime minister’s announcement about initiating dialogue with the militants.
Ayaz Amir of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) asked the prime minister to implement his announced allocation of development funds to all MNAs as some legislators were being denied this facility.